Bees Don’t Baa, Dr Growlybear
Read this book from front to back – and back again!
Dr Growlybear was once the best doctor in the animal forest. But lately, he has been doubting himself. His waiting room is full of animals doing things they are not supposed to do: a baaing bee, a hissing sheep, a chirping snake, a bleating sparrow, a barking bear, and many more. No matter what Dr Growlybear says or does, nothing seems to help. But is he listening carefully?
This picture book, with charming illustrations by Janneke Ipenburg, is designed to be read from front to back and then from back to front. All the sounds that were wrong at first are correct when you read in reverse!
Praise:
‘A fun and surprising picture book that children, partly due to the many animal sounds and colourful illustrations, will feast on and ask about time and again.’ – Het Boekenrijk
The Acorn Eaters
A beautiful new edition with a cover illustration by Golden Paintbrush winner Ludwig Volbeda
For this book Els Pelgrom won her third Golden Slate Pencil
Timeless themes: poverty and inequality of opportunity
Andalusia, late 1940s. The Spanish Civil War is over, but many people in Spain still live in abject poverty. This includes Curro and his family. When Curro turns eight, he is forced to leave school to work as a swineherd. To stave off his hunger, he searches for acorns to eat as he works. But everything on the land belongs to the rich landowners, and stealing acorns is not without danger… The Acorn Eaters is a gripping novel about poverty and social inequality, but above all about the resilience of a boy who learns not to let his happiness depend on his circumstances.
Praise:
‘With The Acorn Eaters, Els Pelgrom proves once again that literature of the highest level can be accessible to children […] The authenticity is reinforced by the form of the story, which makes you feel as though Curro is sitting right next to you telling you about his childhood.’ – The Golden Slate Pencil Jury Report
Nutty for Nature
Weekly questions (and answers) to make the earth a little bit greener
In collaboration with the WWF (World Wide Fond for Nature)
This super fun book will get you up to date about nature in no time at all. Not only will you read about the oceans, permafrost, tigers, green inventions, climate change, locusts, jungles, glitter, sustainability, coral and much more, you will also discover what (small) steps you can take to give nature a helping hand. Going out for dinner or a drink? Ask for your drink without a straw. Is your dad is nagging you to wear sunscreen? Tell him you prefer one that is safe for coral reefs. Because after all, you are nutty for nature!
Illustrated by Wendy Panders.
Hartenstein Castle
The Poo Factory Theme Park has sold more than 175,000 copies worldwide!
Previous books have been translated into eleven languages
Your heart beats day and night and is the engine of your body. But how does it work? How does your blood flow through your body? Best friends Mila and Amor explore all the rooms of Hartenstein Castle to discover the secrets of a healthy heart. Join these friends as they find out whether love comes from the head or the heart and what actually makes the heart beat faster.
Secret Agent Teacher
Part five in the Secret Agent series
Over 70,000 copies of the Secret Agent series sold in the Netherlands
Max has two grandmas. One makes cups of tea and knits itchy sweaters for him. The other is a secret agent. But nobody is supposed to know that. When, one day, secret agent grandma comes to teach at his school, Max must do his best not to tell anyone about his grandma’s profession. Especially Estella, who hosts a very popular show on the school TV channel. And definitely that bully Vinnie, who is vying for a place on Estella’s show, just like Max. While secret agent teacher teaches the children to speak Russian, bungee jump and shoot a bow and arrow, Max discovers a huge secret…
Praise:
‘A carefully crafted story, with lots of dialogue and humour, but also a serious undertone (…) A humorous and adventurous story in which the author plays with the image of two seemingly opposite kinds of grandmas that grandchildren wish they had.’ – NBD Biblion
‘Will appeal to both boys and girls. You don’t need to have read the earlier instalments to follow the narrative. The story is so exciting you just can’t stop reading.’ – Indeboekenkast.nl on Secret Agent Grandma
The Living Head
A witty and timeless story about what could be one of the most extraordinary friendships in children’s literature
Els Pelgrom is a multiple award winning author and her work has been translated into more than ten languages
Gecko has been living in an old woman’s house for a while when he discovers a bald head in the bedroom. The head lies in bed, reading book after book, turning the pages with a stick in its mouth. One day, when the gecko looks at the bed, the head is startled awake by a dream that makes it sad. For the first time, the gecko feels pity for the head and grants it one wish. This is the start of a series of adventures in which the head discovers the joys of life and the gecko has to protect his new friend from all sorts of dangers, big and small…
Praise:
‘I think Els writes very mysteriously. What appeals to me is that her characters aren’t just sweet, virtuous or brave; they also have a dark side.’ – Thé Tjong-Khing, illustrator and cartoonist
‘The Living Head is (as she herself says) probably her last book and with it she closes her career in style: an idiosyncratic and wonderful book that is different in tone from anything else that is being published in the land of children’s books.’ – Nederlands Dagblad
The Winter When Time Was Frozen
The book for which Els Pelgrom won her first Golden Slate Pencil
Reissued with cover illustration by Golden Paint Brush winner and Children’s Book Ambassador Martijn van der Linden
The winter of 1944 is the harshest winter in years. The war seems to be nearing its end, but there is heavy fighting around the city of Arnhem. Twelve-year-old Noortje and her father are evacuated to a farmhouse on the Veluwe. Life there is completely different from what she is used to – almost warm and cosy. But increasingly often, starving people from the cities come knocking at the door, and then the German army suddenly billets soldiers to the farm. This is very dangerous, because Noortje discovers that Jewish people are hiding in the woods near the farm…
Praise:
‘An excellent addition to the list of children’s books about World War II.’ – NRC
Tut’s Shadow
Shortlisted for the Woutertje Pieterse Prize and the Boon Literature Prize 2022
A masterful YA novel from the queen of retellings
Ankhesenamun grows up in the court of her father, Pharaoh Akhenaten, in Ancient Egypt. Despite the luxury of a beautiful new palace and endless parades and parties, her life is not easy. Her family is hungry for power and her father is not popular among the people. Ankhe already has five sisters by the time her half-brother, Tutankhamun, is born. A weak boy with a club foot, he is the future pharaoh of Egypt. Ankhesenamun appoints herself as his protector and teaches him everything he needs to know to survive. She lives by his side like a shadow, and everything seems to be going well. Until suddenly disaster strikes and her own life is in grave danger…
Tut’s Shadow is a book full of people and gods, lies and deceit, gold and poverty, but also a gripping love story between two young people who support each other through thick and thin in a tumultuous period filled with danger.
Praise:
‘A rich, layered tale for strong readers, about power, women’s strength and a fascinating time, which at times feels topical (…) Djenné Fila surpasses herself with beautiful drawings, inspired by Egyptian art. ’ – Bas Maliepaard, Trouw
‘From the moment you open Tut’s Shadow, everything breathes ancient Egypt. This is mainly due to the vivid descriptions of author Lida Dijkstra, but also because of the incredibly beautiful illustrations of Djenné Fila.’ – De Boekenkrant
Wies & Grandma Wiss: The Inside Boss
Can be read as a stand-alone
Wies and the twins Zane and Jazz love being in Grijsoord House, the cozy home of grandma Wisse and her friends. One day men with tape measures come by. They are from the Welfare and Residential Safety Foundation. Their boss says the home needs to be remodeled. Otherwise, the residents will face a sky-high fine. But the renovation is a disaster. Suddenly it is much more dangerous to live in Grijsoord House! Together with the twins, Wies comes up with a plan to help grandma Wisse and her friends.
Dangerous Water
A poignant and thrilling novel about the 1953 North Sea flood
Maarten is 12 years old when a storm hits on Saturday 31 January 1953. Strong winds are not unusual, but this time it pounds against his house like a huge, invisible giant. In the middle of the night the dykes break, and he flees to the attic with his parents and sister. Outside, all sorts of things float by: planks, chairs and even a dead man… The waiting drives Maarten crazy: he wants to do something. He gets the opportunity to do so, but only then does he realise how serious the disaster is. Where have all the houses gone? Why is that woman clinging to a lamppost? What is in the suitcase that he fishes out of the water? And more importantly, can he save his family in time?
Praise:
‘In Dangerous Water, the author describes the night of the disaster in a realistic manner without shying away from horrors.’ – Toin Duijx
‘Dangerous Water is an easy-to-read book, in which you experience the disaster and what comes next entirely through Martin’s eyes. He sees nasty things. Yet the adventure does not end badly for him.’ – Kidsweek
Little Sophie and Lanky Flop
Double award-winning: Golden Slate Pencil and Golden Paintbrush
Seriously ill Sophie is confined to her bed. Desperate to know what real life is like, she takes part in the play What Life Has to Offer on the little stage in her room. Her cat Terror is the director and Sophie gets the leading role. With her puppets – the life-loving Arabella, the lazy, selfabsorbed Bertje, and the idler Lanky Flop – she experiences funny, exciting, and moving events, and realises what life could have been like, with all its highs and lows.
Praise:
‘I adore everything about this book. It is a book about life and a bit about death, and about the power of imagination. I fell a little bit in love with this book, and I still love it now.’ – Manon Sikkel, author and former Children’s Book Ambassador
Brothers
He is my brother. And he is a murderer…
An attack takes place at a secondary school in broad daylight. One of the victims is Raf’s best friend Sahir. Raf thinks he reconises his half-brother Carlos on a live feed of the incident. When Carlos flees, Raf, haunted by the memories of their childhood, goes looking for him. For perhaps he was the real target…
Nomen Nescio
Brent’s brother Jason is a member of Nomen Nescio, a far-right youth group. He is vehemently opposed to the new centre for asylum seekers in their village. Then Brent meets Hiba, a girl who lives in the centre. She and Brent soon become more than friends. But this friendship will cost both of them more than they hoped for…
To Be Continued
Jessie moves with her parents from the city to a draughty caravan in a remote location while their new house is being built. All sorts of strange things happen there. Together with her best friend, she puts up a camera to keep a close eye on things. When she is home alone one night, it turns out she is not as alone as she thinks…
A Long Time Till Later
Author awarded Flag and Pennant 2019
A collection full of new poems written in clear language, with relatable themes for young people
In 2018, after a fourteen-year long silence, Kees Spiering published his poetry collection You Begin, a sublime showcase of his work, featuring both old and new poems. Fortunately, this time around fans of his writing will not have to wait so long. A Long Time Till Later contains beautiful new poems about big and small moments in the life of a young person growing up. Like no other, Spiering draws his readers into his evocative world and treats them to surprising observations and sparkling sentences that will make you sigh with happiness or sadness – or both.
Praise:
‘Kees Spiering’s work is full of nice observations and you never get stopped in your tracks by a clumsy metaphor or awkward sentence.’ – Jaap Robben
‘Surprising images, strong observations and a casual tone. (…) Kees Spiering proves once again that he is one of the Netherlands’ best YA poets.’ – Bas Maliepaard, Trouw, on You Begin
Nadia’s Night
A charming book for young children about a girl and her two dads
Five-year-old Nadia has a goldfish called Mr Rosso. When she closes her eyes, Mr Rosso dances on the fountain in the garden, spaghetti grows in the field, knight Olivier rides his horse through the woods, and grandpa Gijs becomes a worm. In the stories in this book, Nadia goes on a treasure hunt with neighbour Joris and her two dads Joep and Otto, makes witches’ soup, finds a shark’s tooth on the beach, and searches for a runaway goat. When Daddy Joep and Daddy Otto get married, Nadia is in for a big surprise…
Praise:
‘It is hardly surprising that adults read about Nadia’s adventures with a big smile on their faces (…) Nadia’s Night is a lovely read aloud book for home and in the classroom. And the illustrations are beautiful. A great choice for any time of the day.’ – Libris
‘The stories are taken straight out of everyday life, have a funny undertone and sometimes also take place in Nadia’s fantasy world. The dreamy illustrations by Miriam Bouwens bring the stories to life. This sweet storybook stands out because of its diverse cast of characters, without it being the main theme of the book.’ – Het Boekenrijk
